MALMEDY
Place Albert I is the center of Malmedy. Here you will find a number of accommodations, restaurants, and shops. To our right in house 29a is the House for Tourism (Maison de Tourisme), the Eastern Belgium Tourism Agency TAO. There you can get all the information hikers need, hiking guides, maps, etc.
Today we continue hiking on the GR56 and choose the Warche variant. The Warche, which accompanied us on the previous stage for a while, comes from a source area between Hünningen and Losheimergraben. We will now follow the Warche continuously upstream on the next stages.
We are hiking in the Eifel and Ardennes, thus in a low mountain range. We will definitely feel this on today's stage as it goes constantly up and down. The hiking paths are also sometimes very narrow and require some surefootedness. Especially in wet weather, caution is advised.
Here in Malmedy on Albert Square (Place Albert I) in front of the "Maison du Tourisme" we start today's stage. On the opposite side, you can see the Tavern St Pierre. Next to it on the right is an archway we pass through and then enter rue du Petit Vinâve. Further, over bumpy cobblestones, it goes up the hill via rue Grètèdar until we reach Calvary Hill.
As soon as we have reached Calvary Hill or the Way of the Cross, we climb up a steep staircase to a chapel. We keep right and continue ascending the hill in zigzags to the Cross of Chôdes and further uphill until we reach the chapel of Livremont. It's good that we had a proper breakfast this morning. But the beautiful view of Malmedy lying below in the valley is a reward for the effort.
At the chapel, our hiking path turns off and leads us on a wide path past a holiday home settlement (La petite Montagne). We now continue straight ahead to the roundabout in the center of Chôdes. Chôdes and the adjoining G'Doumont are villages belonging to Malmedy.
2.8 km CHODES
Our white-red hiking marks lead us straight over rue Al Gofe through the small villages. At the next fork, we turn sharply left and continue along a narrow paved service road. Soon the path forks, we keep right and stay on the paved lane. It leads downhill to a small wood. But just before reaching the forest, we have to turn right onto a narrow path. Now it goes uphill again (to the east). We hike along a pasture fence. Our path winds higher above the valley in a constant up and down. It's difficult to give a precise description of this path, but generally, if you pay attention, you can rely on the white-red GR hiking marks. Our main direction is determined by the Warche flowing deep down in the valley, which we now always follow upstream towards the source.
Sometimes there are wide forest paths, sometimes narrow trails on which we hike here. There are steep descents and then sweaty climbs again. The beautiful view over the Warche valley is certainly always interesting. After some time, we come to a viewpoint. The rock formation has the funny name "Nez de Napoleon" (Napoleon's Nose). Down in the valley, Reinhardstein Castle now comes into view, another photo motif. Depending on vegetation and water volume, a narrow but 60-meter-high waterfall can also be seen on the opposite valley side — it is said to be the highest in Belgium.
Our GR56 now again goes steeply down into the valley. Then we reach the point where another GR path comes up from the valley below. It is called the "Liaison Bayehon" and is the connection (= liaison) coming from the Venn Plateau via the Bayehon stream and joins our GR here again.
6.2 km FOLLOW THE DIRECTION “WALK”
Attention: Do not go further down into the valley here unless you want to visit Reinhardstein Castle, which can be seen down in the valley. From the castle, you can also continue hiking to the dam of the reservoirs of Robertville. You exit in front of the dam, which must then be crossed. On the other side, you are back on our GR56.
We stay on the GR56 Warche variant and step across a small stream, then immediately climb steeply again. At the top, the path becomes more level and soon we reach the edge of the forest. Our path now quickly brings us to the parking lot at the dam of the Robertville reservoir.
0.6 km ROBERTVILLE RESERVOIR
We cross the dam and follow the road to the hotel La Chaumière du Lac (800 m).
End of the stage in Robertville.
